The Division of Consumer Affairs is required to conduct a criminal history record check for applicants applying for licensure or certification. Below you will find some frequently asked questions about the criminal history background check process.

If you live, work or attend school in the state of New Jersey, or in certain nearby communities surrounding the New Jersey boarder, you will be required to schedule a fingerprinting session directly with MorphoTrak, a private company under contract with the State. If your residence, work or school appears on the zip code list for nearby communities, you must schedule a fingerprinting appointment directly with MorphoTrak in New Jersey. However, you cannot schedule an appointment with MorphoTrak until you receive the MorphTrak Universal Fingerprinting Form.

If you live beyond the New Jersey border and your zip code does not appear on the nearby community zip code list, you will be sent fingerprint cards which can be used by your local police department, another local law enforcement agency, a state police department or by your own states electronic fingerprinting company to record your fingerprints. Fingerprint cards and instructions will arrive with your MorphoTrak Universal Fingerprinting Form. (There may be a slight delay in the process of the criminal history background heck when using manual fingerprint cards.)

I recently had a background check done for another agency (e.g. the Department of Education, DYFS, etc.). Must I be fingerprinted again?

Yes, you will need to get fingerprinted again for the Division of Consumer Affairs since the regulation concerning the dissemination of criminal history record information prohibits the sharing of the material for any reason other than the authorized and intended purpose for which it was gathered.

I have already had a background check done for another licensing board/committee within the Division of Consumer Affairs. Must I be fingerprinted again?

If you have already been fingerprinted for licensure /certification within the Division of Consumer Affairs and you are still receiving notification to conduct the criminal history background check, you must notify the Division immediately with the following information:

First and last name

Professional license type and number (Please include all license numbers if you hold more than one license with the Division of Consumer Affairs.)

PCN (This number can be found at the bottom of your Sagem Morpho / MorphoTrak form.)

You will be charged $11 for your missed appointment, which will be charged against your original payment of $67.50. MorphoTrak will refund the remaining $56.50 back to your credit card (or other method of payment). You will be refunded the full amount ($67.50) if you cancelled your appointment before noon the day prior to your missed appointment. Please refer to MorphoTraks refund policy for further information.
You can use the same MorphoTrak form to reschedule your appointment. If rescheduling on line, you will log in as a new applicant. Be sure to write your new applicant ID number, scheduled site, date, time and payment authorization in the spaces provided at the bottom of the Universal Form. The statement, "Applicants Must Not Alter, Share, or Reuse This Form" is intended for the information provided at the top half of the page. When scheduling your appointment you will be asked for payment once again.

Upon completion of fingerprinting, your fingerprints will be submitted electronically to the New Jersey State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The fingerprints are used to check the criminal history records maintained by the New Jersey State Police and FBI. The aforementioned agencies will provide any criminal records on file, as a result of a positive identification, to the Division of Consumer Affairs.

What steps do I follow to challenge the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in the State Police or FBI identification record?

The board/committee making the determination of suitability for licensing/certification will provide the applicant the opportunity to complete or challenge the accuracy of the information contained in the State Police or FBI identification record. In challenging the record, your first step is to advise your licensing board/committee that the criminal information provided from either the State Police or FBI is inaccurate or incomplete. Proceed as follows in the case of a state and/or federal record challenge.

Steps to follow for a New Jersey State Police record challenge:

Contact the Division of Consumer Affairs, Criminal History Review Unit at (609) 826-7184 and advise that you are challenging a state criminal history record that was reported to the licensing board. An investigator will be assigned to assist with your challenge.

Steps to follow for an FBI record challenge:

Prepare a detailed letter to the FBI outlining what arrest/conviction is being challenged and clearly state the reason(s) for the challenge.

The applicant should include a phone number (home or cell) in the letter so the FBI can contact the applicant concerning questions or clarifications. The applicant may want to include an e-mail address too.

This information should be mailed to the FBI at the following address: